SilencerCo Integrally Suppressed 9mm Prototype 3D Printed

SilencerCo Integrally Suppressed Prototype 9mm

One of the first items that was attracting a significant amount of attention at the Shot Show Industry Day at the Range was this SilencerCo integrally suppressed 9mm.  They had brought out a similar prototype in September of 2015, but this was a new, improved, version.  It is not ready for sale, but I was told that they hope to have them on the market some time in 2016.

Of course, you will need a tax stamp from the ATF if you are not issued one in the military or as a peace officer of some type.  It is not an inexpensive firearm, rather high end.  Some excellent design features have been incorporated in this prototype.

This one uses Glock magazines.  Cheap, easily available, reliable, effective.  The pistol is designed to reduce the loudest 9mm (124 grain +P+) to 139 db, below the level recommended for hearing protection.  With subsonic 147 grain loads, it will be much quieter.

As I examined the grip, it occurred to me that the frame had been created using additive technology, commonly known as 3D printing.  When I asked, that was confirmed.  The frame had indeed been prototyped on a 3D printer.

In this image, you can clearly see the layering effect produced by 3D printers, where extremely tight tolerances are not necessary.

Many companies are using 3D printing to produce prototypes.  It is becoming an industry standard.  It is much cheaper to produce a prototype this way to see if everything fits, to find tweaks the product may need to work better, be stronger, or to be improved in some other way.

I talked to Chet Alvord, Vice President of TacSol.  He believes that 3D printing is advancing very fast.  He said:

High tech machining (such as they do at Tactical Solutions) will be "buggy whips" in 10 to 15 years.

I handled the Silencerco pistol, though I did not shoot it.  It was acceptable, It had been designed to be easily holsterable.  The designer said that he expected to build in a capacity for a light, and optical sights, that would not interfere with a holster.  If you are willing to haul around a steel 1911 type, I do not think the SilencerCo would be a burden.

I was impressed.  The concept seems sound, an obvious integration that would have been perfected decades ago, if not for suppression of the gun muffler market by the obsolete National Firearms Act of 1934.

The Chinese had a .32 integrally suppressed pistol based on the Browning 1900 design.  A 9mm moves it into the very useful category.  One of these would be a very nice home defense gun.  The attraction would be the lack of muzzle flash, and the ability to shoot without permanent hearing damage.

No price is firm at this early date.  The gun and suppressor combo will not be cheap.   I did hear a figure of about $2,000.  Don't hold me to it.  If the pistol is reliable, It will be profitable.   It would be a great pistol for open carry, and is not out of the realm for concealed carry.  The design allows it to be shortened by an inch or two if subsonic loads are used, easily done by the owner in a few minutes.

From the Shot Show Industry Day at the Range.

©2016 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.  Link to Gun Watch